MARTIN SAMUEL - CHIEF SPORTS WRITER: Lionel Messi smiled for the camera aboard the private jet. He looked happy. Happy for a man who was leaving a club he didn't want to leave, to play for a club he didn't want to join, and relocating to a city where he didn't care to reside. He was living the dream: as envisaged by accountants, marketing men, contract lawyers, Qatari sheiks and the fans who gathered outside Charles de Gaulle airport, hoping for a glimpse. He wasn't living Messi's dream, though, for we all know what that was. To continue playing for Barcelona, and winning trophies for Barcelona, and remaining, with his family, in Barcelona. Even on the day he tearfully announced he had no option but to leave, he was already talking about the day he would return.

Lionel Messi has completed a sensational move to Paris Saint-Germain on a two-year deal after leaving Barcelona following 21 incredible years.  Messi became a free agent this summer after his original contract with Barcelona expired, but he was expected to re-sign with the club following positive initial talks between all parties.  Yet due to LaLiga's financial regulations, the 34-year-old superstar was unable to sign and now moves to the Parc des Princes to play under fellow Rosario native Mauricio Pochettino and will line-up alongside former team-mate Neymar and French superstar Kylian Mbappe.  

NIK SIMON IN PARIS: It felt like a state occasion. The dozens of police vans, the cordoned off roads and the hundreds of cameras feeding every movement to television sets around the world. The sort of ceremony reserved for royalty and, to the adoring masses outside the Parc des Princes, every second of this was a coronation. Lionel Messi only stepped onto the street for 60 seconds but that was enough time for the thousands of fans to anoint him the new king of Paris. He walked a few metres out of his blacked-out Mercedes van to wave to his new supporters, signalling the beginning of a new chapter for French football.

Messi is currently in Paris (left) with his wife and children where he is finalising a move to the Ligue 1 giants and is expected to put pen to paper on a £1million-per-week, two-year deal. Messi is currently a free agent after failing to agree terms on a new deal with Barcelona, who could not afford to pay him due to their current financial woes. And now it appears that Atletico made a last-gasp bid to try and tempt him to the Wanda Metropolitano, according to Movistar. Movistar and TNT Sport journalist Ignacio Miguelez has claimed that Atletico boss Diego Simeone (inset) even contacted compatriot Messi directly in a bid to bring him to Madrid. Miguelez goes on to claim that Messi (right picture, left) and his family were 'tempted' by the offer of staying in Spain and reuniting with best friend Luis Suarez (right picture, right).

Pogba's (right) hopes of joining Paris Saint-Germain from Manchester United were almost certainly dashed by Lionel Messi's (left) arrival in the French capital.  The £89million midfielder looks set to stay at Old Trafford and leave as a free agent for the second time when his contract runs out in June. The Frenchman's agent, Mino Raiola, held talks with Mauricio Pochettino's (inset) PSG who were weighing up a £40m bid this month. However, the unexpected opportunity to sign Messi from Barcelona means even PSG's super-rich Qatari owners would struggle to complete both deals. 

Armstrong, who scored 28 goals for Blackburn in the Sky Bet Championship during the 2020-21 campaign, said: 'It's unbelievable to be here - such a massive club with a great fanbase and it's just something that I'm really looking forward to. I thought it was perfect as my next step. I wanted to get back to the Premier League from what I've done for Blackburn, so I'm over the moon.'

The Inter striker travelled from Milan to London on Monday night ahead of his return to Stamford Bridge having already completed the first part of his medical in the Italian city. Tuchel has sought a striker as his No 1 priority and Lukaku's arrival will provide a huge boost to the European champions in their pursuit of Manchester City in the Premier League this season.

The attacking midfielder (left), 25, became the most expensive English player of all time when he moved from hometown club Villa to the Premier League champions for a whopping £100million transfer fee on August 5. And as reported by the Sun, Grealish took heed of Terry's words (right) when the Chelsea and England legend (inset) emphasised the prestige of playing European football to him. He said: 'I remember speaking to John Terry at Villa and he said when you stand there and hear that Champions League anthem there is nothing better. It has been difficult watching (Champions League) games. I remember watching City v PSG last year and the first half was amazing. To be involved would be a dream come true.'

Follow LIVE as Lionel Messi is in France ahead of completing a two-year deal with PSG. The Argentine superstar, who leaves a cash-strapped Barcelona after over 20 years at the club - who couldn't afford to keep him on - will earn a whopping £1million per week, as he joins former team-mate Neymar at his new club. Sportsmail's Nathan Salt will provide the updates.

Neymar has appeared to confirm Lionel Messi will complete a sensational transfer to Paris Saint-Germain as he posted a photo of them together alongside the caption 'back together'. The Argentine star has flown into Paris with his wife and children ahead of his medical with the French giants where he will sign a £1million-per-week, two-year deal. Messi is currently a free agent after failing to agree terms on a new deal with Barcelona, who could not afford to pay him due to their current financial woes.  

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel (inset, bottom-left) believes that the signing of Romelu Lukaku will help to bring out the best in the likes of Kai Havertz, Timo Werner (right) and Christian Pulisic (inset, bottom) who all.  The Blues are on the verge of securing the services of Lukaku for £98m and the signing will come as a relief to Tuchel who's side struggled in front of goal last season - despite their Champions League triumph. Tuchel has now claimed that Lukaku will bring the best out of his other attackers, who will be looking to improve from last season.

Trippier (left), 30, was earmarked as the perfect candidate to provide competition for Aaron Wan-Bissaka next season, but United baulked at his £34million price tag. And now, as claimed by The Mirror, the impressive form of Diogo Dalot (right) during the summer and in pre-season has further changed United's thinking. Dalot spent last season out on loan at AC Milan, and it initially looked as though he may return to the San Siro with his chances at United set to be limited. However, his re-emergence in his position has turned heads at his parent club, and there is said to be a belief that Dalot can provide back-up instead.

Lionel Messi has arrived in Paris (right) with his wife and children for his medical with Paris Saint-Germain where he will sign a £1million-per-week, two-year deal after leaving cash-strapped Barcelona. The 34-year-old was pictured at Barcelona airport alongside his wife Antonella and their three children, Thiago, eight, Mateo, five, and Ciro, three earlier on Tuesday. Antonella, 33, later posted a selfie alongside her husband (left) as they sat on their private jet waiting to fly to France. But the Argentine star touched down later in the afternoon and was pictured waving to the supporters who had gathered to see Messi's arrival at Paris-Le Bourget Airport. PSG have posted a teasing clip to their Twitter account (inset), showing six Ballon d'Ors - the amount Messi has won - in front of the Eiffel Tower and a space in the dressing room between Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, who the Argentine is likely to play alongside in attack. Sources at the French club confirmed Messi's lawyers had been poring over the contract proposal since Sunday but gave it their approval this morning.

Leicester City winger Rachid Ghezzal is flying from France to Istanbul today to complete a £3.4million move to Besiktas. The 29-year-old spent last season on loan with the Turkish champions and talks have progressed over a permanent deal. Hertha Berlin, Galatasaray and Al Hilal also showed interest in the Algeria international who joined Leicester from Monaco in 2018 for £12.5million as a replacement for Manchester City-bound Riyad Mahrez.

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand (inset, top-left) has backed Romelu Lukaku (main) to haunt his former club and silence the doubters on his return to the Premier League. Lukaku is on the verge of joining Chelsea for £98million in what will be a move that sees him return to the west London club - seven years after departing.  The 28-year-old l spent two year at Old Trafford before departing for Inter Milan in 2019 for a fee of £73m and Ferdinand has now backed him to be a success at Chelsea.

Lionel Messi's (inset, bottom) impending move to PSG still seems very hard to fathom - but wait till you see the money at play. The 34-year-old Argentine great is reportedly set to earn £25m a year after tax as he signs a two-year deal at the Parc des Princes, with a deal likely to be finalised in the coming days to link up with the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Neymar (centre). With seemingly no end to PSG's expenditure this summer, the Ligue 1 club now have an astronomically high wage bill which is way out in front on a global scale. Sportsmail now gives you all the figures you need to know in relation to other sporting heavyweights (Real Madrid top-left, New York Yankees bottom-left, Dallas Cowboys top-right, Golden State Warriors bottom-right).

John Stones has been rewarded for his Manchester City rebirth by signing a fresh, long-term deal at the Etihad. Stones has put pen to paper on a five year deal, keeping him with the north west club until the age of 32. Manager Pep Guardiola has rewarded Stones for regaining his place in the senior ranks, after initially falling way down the pecking order.

After committing star striker Gerard Moreno to the club for another six years, Villarreal opted to break the news to fans in the most bizarre of ways. The reigning Europa League champions have been working tirelessly all summer to get fresh terms on the table for their talisman, and reward him for his role in ending the club's long wait for silverware. But perhaps Moreno was at first taken aback when informed he would be presented in disguise to gathered masses in the city centre, as the 'masked singer.'

ADRIAN KAJUMBA: Broja, 19, will join for the season in the first of two moves Southampton are hoping to complete to bolster Ralph Hasenhuttl's attack following Danny Ings's departure for Aston Villa last week. The deal does not contain an option for Southampton to sign Broja permanently next summer. Broja, who has also been targeted by clubs in Italy and Belgium, spent last season on loan at Dutch club Vitesse where he got his first taste of regular senior football. Adam Armstrong is on course to join Southampton permanently from Blackburn after the two clubs agreed a deal worth up to £15m. Armstrong is due to undergo a medical on Tuesday.

Real Madrid are reportedly getting closer and closer to sealing a deal for Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe (left) due to Lionel Messi's (inset) imminent arrival in France. PSG are believed to be close to sealing the free transfer of Messi on a two-year deal worth around £70million, following the Argentina's shock departure from Barcelona last week.  The move will see Messi link up with former Barcelona team-mate Neymar at PSG, but the future of Mbappe remains in doubt with the French forward having just one year left on his contract in the French capital. 

Barcelona have failed in a desperately late bid to keep hold of Lionel Messi, according to a new report. The Argentine was in tears at a farewell press conference on Sunday in which he revealed he was leaving against his wishes after doing 'all I can do' to try and stay. Barcelona's ongoing financial crisis dictates that they have been priced out of a move to keep free agent Messi - although, according to La Porteria, that did not stop them (president Joan Laporta, inset top-left) making a desperate late offer to try and avoid a divorce with their greatest ever player.

Romelu Lukaku's mural outside the San Siro stadium (left) has been defaced by Inter Milan supporters ahead of the Belgian striker's imminent £98million move to Chelsea. The Inter striker (bottom right) travelled from Milan to London on Monday night (top right) ahead of his return to Stamford Bridge having already completed the first part of his medical in the Italian city. Inter fans are furious at their own club and president Steven Zhang for allowing star forward Lukaku - who scored 30 goals last season as the Nerazzuri won their first Serie A title in 11 years - especially after the Italian side claimed the Belgian would be staying earlier this summer.